Table of Contents
Genesis – Γένεσις
Structure
- Genesis 1, 1 (narration) In the beginning
- Genesis 2, 4 (narration) Toledot of heaven and earth
- Genesis 5, 1 (genealogy) Toledot of Adam
- Genesis 6, 9 (narrative) Toledot of Noah
- Genesis 10, 1 (genealogia) Toledot di Shem, Cam e Japheth
- Genesis 11, 1 (narrative without toledot) The tower of Babel
- Genesis 11, 10 (genealogy) Toledot di Shem
- Genesis 11, 27 (narrative) Toledot di Terach
- Genesis 25, 12 (genealogy) Toledot di Ismaele
- Genesis 25, 19 (narrative) Toledot di Isacco
- Genesis 36, 1 e 36, 9 (genealogy) Toledot di Esaù
- Genesis 37, 2 (narrative) Toledot di Giacobbe
Genesis – Γένεσις (Full Text)
Chapter 1
Γένεσις – Κεφάλαιον 1
1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν.
2 ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, καὶ σκότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου· καὶ πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος.
3 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· γενηθήτω φῶς. καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς.
4 καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ φῶς ὅτι καλόν· καὶ διεχώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σκότους.
5 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ φῶς ἡμέραν, καὶ τὸ σκότος ἐκάλεσεν νύκτα. καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί, ἡμέρα μία.
6 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· γενηθήτω στερέωμα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἔστω διαχωρίζον ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος.
7 καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα, καὶ διεχώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος ὃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώματος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ στερεώματος. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.
8 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα οὐρανόν. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί, ἡμέρα δευτέρα.
9 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· συναχθήτω τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν, καὶ ὀφθήτω ἡ ξηρά. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.
10 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ξηρὰν γῆν, καὶ τὰ συστήματα τῶν ὑδάτων ἐκάλεσεν θαλάσσας. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν.
11 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου σπείρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶ καθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπὸν οὗ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ κατὰ γένος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.
12 καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου σπείρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶ καθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα, καὶ ξύλον ποιοῦν καρπὸν οὗ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ κατὰ γένος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν.
13 καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί, ἡμέρα τρίτη.
14 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· γενηθήτωσαν φωστῆρες ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰς φαῦσιν τῆς γῆς, τοῦ διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς νυκτός, καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεῖα καὶ εἰς καιροὺς καὶ εἰς ἡμέρας καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς,
15 καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς φαῦσιν ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὥστε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.
16 καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς δύο φωστῆρας τοὺς μεγάλους, τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν μέγαν εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν ἐλάσσω εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτός, καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας.
17 καὶ ἔθετο αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὥστε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,
18 καὶ ἄρχειν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῆς νυκτός, καὶ διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σκότους. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν.
19 καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί, ἡμέρα τετάρτη.
20 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζώσων, καὶ πετεινὰ πετόμενα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ τὸ στερέωμα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.
21 καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ κήτη τὰ μεγάλα καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ζώων ἑρπετῶν, ἃ ἐξήγαγεν τὰ ὕδατα κατὰ γένη αὐτῶν, καὶ πᾶν πετεινὸν πτερωτὸν κατὰ γένος. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν.
22 καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτὰ ὁ Θεός λέγων· αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὰ ὕδατα τῶν θαλασσῶν, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ πληθυνέσθωσαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
23 καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί, ἡμέρα πέμπτη.
24 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· ἐξαγαγέτω ἡ γῆ ψυχὴν ζῶσαν κατὰ γένος, τετράποδα καὶ ἑρπετὰ καὶ θηρία τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.
25 καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος καὶ τὰ κτήνη κατὰ γένος καὶ πάντα τὰ ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν.
26 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ᾽ εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσιν, καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
27 καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον· κατ᾽ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν· ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς.
28 καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεός λέγων· αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς, καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ παντὸς ζῴου τοῦ κινοῦντος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
29 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν πᾶν χόρτον σπείρον σπέρμα ὃ ἐστὶν ἐπάνω πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ πᾶν ξύλον ὃ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ καρπὸν σπέρματος σπερτοῦ· ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς βρῶσιν.
30 καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ παντὶ ἑρπετῷ τῷ ἕρποντι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὃ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ ψυχὴν ζωῆς, πᾶν χόρτον χλωρὸν εἰς βρῶσιν. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.
31 καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἰδοὺ καλά λίαν. καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί, ἡμέρα ἕκτη.
Translitteration – Genesis 1 (Septuagint)
1 En archē epoiēsen ho Theos ton ouranon kai tēn gēn.
2 hē de gē ēn aoratos kai akataskeuastos, kai skotos epanō tēs abyssou; kai pneuma Theou epephereto epanō tou hydatos.
3 kai eipen ho Theos: genēthētō phōs. kai egeneto phōs.
4 kai eiden ho Theos to phōs hoti kalon; kai diechōrisen ho Theos ana meson tou phōtos kai ana meson tou skotous.
5 kai ekalesen ho Theos to phōs hēmeran, kai to skotos ekalesen nykta. kai egeneto hespera kai egeneto prōi, hēmera mia.
6 kai eipen ho Theos: genēthētō stereōma en mesō tou hydatos, kai estō diachōrizon ana meson hydatos kai hydatos.
7 kai epoiēsen ho Theos to stereōma, kai diechōrisen ho Theos ana meson tou hydatos ho ēn hypokatō tou stereōmatos kai ana meson tou hydatos tou epanō tou stereōmatos. kai egeneto houtōs.
8 kai ekalesen ho Theos to stereōma ouranon. kai eiden ho Theos hoti kalon. kai egeneto hespera kai egeneto prōi, hēmera deutera.
9 kai eipen ho Theos: synachthētō to hydōr to hypokatō tou ouranou eis synagōgēn mian, kai ophthētō hē xēra. kai egeneto houtōs.
10 kai ekalesen ho Theos tēn xēran gēn, kai ta systēmata tōn hydatōn ekalesen thalassas. kai eiden ho Theos hoti kalon.
11 kai eipen ho Theos: blastēsatō hē gē botanēn chortou speiron sperma kata genos kai kath’ homoiotēta, kai xylon karpimon poioun karpon hou to sperma autou en autō kata genos epi tēs gēs. kai egeneto houtōs.
12 kai exēnenken hē gē botanēn chortou speiron sperma kata genos kai kath’ homoiotēta, kai xylon poioun karpon hou to sperma autou en autō kata genos epi tēs gēs. kai eiden ho Theos hoti kalon.
13 kai egeneto hespera kai egeneto prōi, hēmera tritē.
14 kai eipen ho Theos: genēthētōsan phōstēres en tō stereōmati tou ouranou eis phausin tēs gēs, tou diachōrizein ana meson tēs hēmeras kai ana meson tēs nyktos, kai estōsan eis sēmeia kai eis kairous kai eis hēmeras kai eis eniautous,
15 kai estōsan eis phausin en tō stereōmati tou ouranou, hōste phainein epi tēs gēs. kai egeneto houtōs.
16 kai epoiēsen ho Theos tous dyo phōstēras tous megalous, ton phōstēra ton megan eis archas tēs hēmeras kai ton phōstēra ton elassō eis archas tēs nyktos, kai tous asteras.
17 kai etheto autous ho Theos en tō stereōmati tou ouranou, hōste phainein epi tēs gēs,
18 kai archein tēs hēmeras kai tēs nyktos, kai diachōrizein ana meson tou phōtos kai ana meson tou skotous. kai eiden ho Theos hoti kalon.
19 kai egeneto hespera kai egeneto prōi, hēmera tetartē.
20 kai eipen ho Theos: exagagetō ta hydata herpeta psychōn zōsōn, kai peteina petomena epi tēs gēs kata to stereōma tou ouranou.
21 kai epoiēsen ho Theos ta kētē ta megala kai pasan psychēn zōōn herpetōn, ha exēgagen ta hydata kata genē autōn, kai pan peteinon pterōton kata genos. kai eiden ho Theos hoti kalon.
22 kai eulogēsen auta ho Theos legōn: auxanesthe kai plēthynesthe kai plērōsate ta hydata tōn thalassōn, kai ta peteina plēthynesthōsan epi tēs gēs.
23 kai egeneto hespera kai egeneto prōi, hēmera pemptē.
24 kai eipen ho Theos: exagagetō hē gē psychēn zōsan kata genos, tetrapoda kai herpeta kai thēria tēs gēs kata genos. kai egeneto houtōs.
25 kai epoiēsen ho Theos ta thēria tēs gēs kata genos kai ta ktēnē kata genos kai panta ta herpeta tēs gēs kata genos. kai eiden ho Theos hoti kalon.
26 kai eipen ho Theos: poiēsōmen anthrōpon kat’ eikona hēmetera kai kath’ homoiōsin, kai archetōsan tōn ichthyōn tēs thalassēs kai tōn peteinōn tou ouranou kai tōn ktēnōn kai pasēs tēs gēs kai pantōn tōn herpetōn tōn herpontōn epi tēs gēs.
27 kai epoiēsen ho Theos ton anthrōpon; kat’ eikona Theou epoiēsen auton; arsen kai thēly epoiēsen autous.
28 kai eulogēsen autous ho Theos legōn: auxanesthe kai plēthynesthe kai plērōsate tēn gēn kai katakyrieusate autēs, kai archete tōn ichthyōn tēs thalassēs kai tōn peteinōn tou ouranou kai pantos zōou tou kinoumenou epi tēs gēs.
29 kai eipen ho Theos: idou dedōka hymin pan chorton speiron sperma ho estin epanō pasēs tēs gēs, kai pan xylon ho echei en heautō karpon spermatos spertou; hymin estai eis brōsin.
30 kai pasi tois thēriois tēs gēs kai pasi tois peteinois tou ouranou kai panti herpetō tō herponti epi tēs gēs, ho echei en heautō psychēn zōēs, pan chorton chlōron eis brōsin. kai egeneto houtōs.
31 kai eiden ho Theos panta hosa epoiēsen, kai idou kala lian. kai egeneto hespera kai egeneto prōi, hēmera hektē.
English Translation – Genesis 1 (Septuagint)
1 In the beginning GOD made the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was invisible and unformed, and darkness was upon the abyss; and the Spirit of GOD was moving over the waters.
3 And GOD said, “Let there be light.” And there was light.
4 And GOD saw the light, that it was good; and GOD separated the light from the darkness.
5 And GOD called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning: day one.
6 And GOD said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate waters from waters.”
7 And GOD made the firmament, and separated the waters that were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament. And it was so.
8 And GOD called the firmament Heaven. And GOD saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning: the second day.
9 And GOD said, “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.
10 And GOD called the dry land Earth, and the gatherings of the waters he called Seas. And GOD saw that it was good.
11 And GOD said, “Let the earth bring forth green vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind and according to their likeness, and fruit trees bearing fruit whose seed is in them according to their kind upon the earth.” And it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind and according to their likeness, and trees bearing fruit whose seed is in them according to their kind upon the earth. And GOD saw that it was good.
13 And there was evening and there was morning: the third day.
14 And GOD said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs, for appointed times, for days and for years.
15 And let them be lights in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.
16 And GOD made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars.
17 And GOD set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth,
18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And GOD saw that it was good.
19 And there was evening and there was morning: the fourth day.
20 And GOD said, “Let the waters bring forth living creatures that move, and birds flying above the earth across the firmament of heaven.”
21 And GOD made the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And GOD saw that it was good.
22 And GOD blessed them saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
23 And there was evening and there was morning: the fifth day.
24 And GOD said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kind: livestock, creeping things, and beasts of the earth according to their kind.” And it was so.
25 And GOD made the beasts of the earth according to their kind, and the livestock according to their kind, and every creeping thing of the earth according to its kind. And GOD saw that it was good.
26 And GOD said, “Let us make man according to our image and according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the livestock, all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27 And GOD made man; in the image of GOD he made him; male and female he made them.
28 And GOD blessed them, and GOD said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, and every living creature moving upon the earth.”
29 And GOD said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has fruit bearing seed; it shall be for you as food.
30 And to every beast of the earth, to every bird of heaven, and to everything creeping upon the earth that has life in itself, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 And GOD saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.
1 In the beginning — B’rêshîth: LXX ἐν ἀρχῇ; Lat. in principio. This opening expresses the idea of the most ancient moment imaginable. The language used in the account of Creation is a narrative that is both simple and eternal, concrete and remarkably in harmony with modern scientific understanding. Even the theory of the Big Bang can be perceived between the lines of the first chapter of Genesis.
GOD — This corresponds to the ancient Hebrew word Elohim. Grammatically it is a plural word used as if it were singular (pluralis maiestatis). The verbs and pronouns used with Elohim would normally be plural, yet when Elohim refers to the Lord GOD the verbs and pronouns appear in the singular.
Creation — the act of bringing something into existence from nothing. The word bārā’, “he created,” is associated with the sovereign activity of GOD. The phrase “heaven and earth” conveys the idea of creating everything from nothing. Even in Genesis 1:21 and Genesis 1:27, where the term may refer to something less than creation ex nihilo, there is still a transition from inert matter to animated life, a transition for which science knows no force, process, or energy capable of accomplishing it.
שׁמים (shāmayı̂m) — “heaven, heavens,” meaning the height above (from shamay, “to be high,” Arabic), the dome that rises above us with all its rotating stars.
ארץ (’erets) — “earth,” the surface lying beneath the heavens.
Darkness was upon the surface of the abyss — This may describe a sense of resistance to the movement of the Holy Spirit upon the earth. Some suggest that this was because Satan had been cast down to the earth (Isaiah 14:12; Ezekiel 28:16) and resisted the plan of GOD, though his resistance was ultimately futile.
The Spirit of GOD was moving over the waters — When the Creator began transforming the earth into something beautiful and compatible with His great plan of life, He began with the work of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit initiates every work that exists in the universe.
Let there be light — The first step from chaos to order is the bringing forth of light. This is also the way GOD works in the life of humanity. Light represents everything that is good and just in human life.
Saint Paul wrote about this same light revealed in the Gospel:
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:3–6)
5 “First day.” Obviously this does not refer to a literal day as humans conceive it, but rather to an era, comparable to a geological age. What is important to understand is the relationship between the days, where the Hebrew word yom indicates a period of time. Hebrew dictionaries remain the primary source of reliable information for interpretation.
14–19 GOD created the Sun and the Moon, lights in the firmament of the heavens to serve as signs and indicators for the reckoning of the seasons. From the beginning, humanity has used GOD’s arrangement of the Sun, Moon, and stars to mark and measure time and direction.
The intricate balance of our ecosystem strongly supports the existence of a Creator.
Luke 1:70 and Acts 3:21 speak of holy prophets from the beginning of the world. These prophets may even be the stars themselves. Psalm 147:4 and Isaiah 40:26 tell us that GOD has numbered the stars and given each of them a name. Psalm 19:1–6 tells us that the heavens contain a message from GOD.
“He made the stars also.” With all the other stars in our universe, we often wonder whether life exists on other planets. When everything required for sustaining life as we know it is taken into account, only a few planets appear capable of supporting life. Yet this possibility is not entirely excluded, even by the Bible.
At one time the government of the United States spent 100 million dollars a year searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. It might have been wiser to spend those resources addressing the many problems on Earth before directing them elsewhere.
28 Humanity is here given responsibility for creation; it has both the right to make use of it and the duty to care for it.
29–30 The original plan of GOD is based on love and harmony and excludes all evil and violence. All creatures are not carnivorous; only after the Flood, in Genesis 9:3, will they be “authorized” to eat meat.
Chapter 2
Γένεσις – Κεφάλαιον 2
1 Καὶ συνετελέσθησαν ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν.
2 καὶ συνετέλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐποίησεν, καὶ κατέπαυσεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἐποίησεν.
3 καὶ ηὐλόγησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Θεὸς ποιῆσαι.
4 Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὅτε ἐγένετο, ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν,
5 καὶ πᾶν χλωρὸν ἀγροῦ πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶν χόρτον ἀγροῦ πρὸ τοῦ ἀνατεῖλαι· οὐ γὰρ ἔβρεξεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἦν ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν.
6 πηγὴ δὲ ἀνέβαινεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπότιζεν πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς.
7 καὶ ἔπλασεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον χοῦν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐνεφύσησεν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ πνοὴν ζωῆς, καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν.
8 καὶ ἐφύτευσεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς παράδεισον ἐν Εδεμ κατὰ ἀνατολάς καὶ ἔθετο ἐκεῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὃν ἔπλασεν.
9 καὶ ἐξανέτειλεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῆς γῆς πᾶν ξύλον καλὸν εἰς ὅρασιν καὶ καλὸν εἰς βρῶσιν, καὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ παραδείσου καὶ τὸ ξύλον τοῦ εἰδέναι γνωστὸν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν.
10 ποταμὸς δὲ ἐκπορεύεται ἐξ Εδεμ ποτίζειν τὸν παράδεισον· ἐκεῖθεν ἀφορίζεται εἰς τέσσαρας ἀρχάς.
11 ὄνομα τῷ ἑνὶ Φισών· οὗτος ὁ κυκλῶν πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Ευιλατ, ἐκεῖ οὗ ἐστιν τὸ χρυσίον.
12 τὸ δὲ χρυσίον τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης καλόν· καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθραξ καὶ ὁ λίθος ὁ πράσινος.
13 καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ δευτέρῳ Γηών· οὗτος ὁ κυκλῶν πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Αἰθιοπίας.
14 καὶ ὁ ποταμὸς ὁ τρίτος Τίγρις· οὗτος ὁ πορευόμενος κατέναντι Ασσυρίων. καὶ ὁ ποταμὸς ὁ τέταρτος οὗτος Εὐφράτης.
15 καὶ ἔλαβεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὃν ἔπλασεν καὶ ἔθετο αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ ἐργάζεσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ φυλάσσειν.
16 καὶ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀδὰμ λέγων· ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ βρώσει φάγῃ,
17 ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν, οὐ φάγεσθε ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ· ᾗ δ’ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε.
18 καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεός· οὐ καλὸν εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον μόνον· ποιήσωμεν αὐτῷ βοηθὸν κατ’ αὐτόν.
19 καὶ ἔπλασεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἔτι ἐκ τῆς γῆς πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὰ πρὸς τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἰδεῖν τί καλέσει αὐτά· καὶ πᾶν ὃ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸ Ἀδὰμ ψυχὴν ζῶσαν, τοῦτο ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.
20 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἀδὰμ ὀνόματα πᾶσι τοῖς κτήνεσι καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις τοῦ ἀγροῦ· τῷ δὲ Ἀδὰμ οὐχ εὑρέθη βοηθὸς ὅμοιος αὐτῷ.
21 καὶ ἐπέβαλεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἔκστασιν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἀδάμ καὶ ἐκάθευδεν· καὶ ἔλαβεν μίαν τῶν πλευρῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεπλήρωσεν σάρκα ἀντ’ αὐτῆς.
22 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὴν πλευρὰν ἣν ἔλαβεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀδάμ εἰς γυναῖκα καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν Ἀδάμ.
23 καὶ εἶπεν Ἀδάμ· τοῦτο νῦν ὀστοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων μου καὶ σὰρξ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός μου· αὕτη κληθήσεται γυνή, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς ἐλήμφθη.
24 ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν.
25 καὶ ἦσαν οἱ δύο γυμνοί, ὁ τε Ἀδὰμ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχύνοντο.
Translitteration
1 Kai synetelesthēsan ho ouranos kai hē gē kai pas ho kosmos autōn.
2 kai synetelesen ho Theos en tē hēmera tē hektē ta erga autou ha epoiēsen, kai katepausen tē hēmera tē hebdomē apo pantōn tōn ergōn autou hōn epoiēsen.
3 kai eulogēsen ho Theos tēn hēmeran tēn hebdomēn kai hēgiasen autēn, hoti en autē katepausen apo pantōn tōn ergōn autou hōn ērxato ho Theos poiēsai.
4 Hautē hē biblos geneseōs ouranou kai gēs, hote egeneto, hē hēmera epoiēsen Kyrios ho Theos ton ouranon kai tēn gēn.
5 kai pan chlōron agrou pro tou genesthai epi tēs gēs kai pan chorton agrou pro tou anateilai; ou gar ebrexen Kyrios ho Theos epi tēn gēn kai anthrōpos ouk ēn ergazesthai tēn gēn.
6 pēgē de anebainen ek tēs gēs kai epotizen pan to prosōpon tēs gēs.
7 kai eplasen Kyrios ho Theos ton anthrōpon choun apo tēs gēs kai enephysēsen eis to prosōpon autou pnoēn zōēs, kai egeneto ho anthrōpos eis psychēn zōsan.
8 kai ephyteusen Kyrios ho Theos paradeison en Edem kata anatolas kai etheto ekei ton anthrōpon hon eplasen.
9 kai exaneteilen Kyrios ho Theos ek tēs gēs pan xylon kalon eis horasin kai kalon eis brōsin, kai to xylon tēs zōēs en mesō tou paradeisou kai to xylon tou eidenai gnōston kalon kai ponēron.
10 potamos de ekporeuetai ex Edem potizein ton paradeison; ekeithen aphorizetai eis tessaras archas.
11 onoma tō heni Phisōn; houtos ho kyklōn pasan tēn gēn Euilat, ekei hou estin to chrysion.
12 to de chrysion tēs gēs ekeinēs kalon; kai ekei estin ho anthrax kai ho lithos ho prasinos.
13 kai onoma tō potamō tō deuterō Gēōn; houtos ho kyklōn pasan tēn gēn Aithiopias.
14 kai ho potamos ho tritos Tigris; houtos ho poreuomenos katenanti Assyriōn. kai ho potamos ho tetartos houtos Euphratēs.
15 kai elaben Kyrios ho Theos ton anthrōpon hon eplasen kai etheto auton en tō paradeisō ergazesthai auton kai phylassein.
16 kai eneteilato Kyrios ho Theos tō Adam legōn: apo pantos xylou tou en tō paradeisō brōsei phagē.
17 apo de tou xylou tou ginōskein kalon kai ponēron, ou phagesthe ap’ autou; hē d’ an hēmera phagēte ap’ autou thanatō apothaneisthe.
18 kai eipen Kyrios ho Theos: ou kalon einai ton anthrōpon monon; poiēsōmen autō boēthon kat’ auton.
19 kai eplasen Kyrios ho Theos eti ek tēs gēs panta ta thēria tou agrou kai panta ta peteina tou ouranou kai ēgagen auta pros ton Adam idein ti kalesei auta; kai pan ho ekalesen auto Adam psychēn zōsan, touto onoma autou.
20 kai ekalesen Adam onomata pasi tois ktēnesi kai pasi tois peteinois tou ouranou kai pasi tois thēriois tou agrou; tō de Adam ouch heurethē boēthos homoios autō.
21 kai epebalen Kyrios ho Theos ekstasin epi ton Adam kai ekatheuden; kai elaben mian tōn pleurōn autou kai aneplērōsen sarka ant’ autēs.
22 kai ōkodomēsen Kyrios ho Theos tēn pleuran hēn elaben apo tou Adam eis gynaika kai ēgagen autēn pros ton Adam.
23 kai eipen Adam: touto nyn osteoun ek tōn osteōn mou kai sarx ek tēs sarkos mou; hautē klēthēsetai gynē, hoti ek tou andros autēs elēmphthē.
24 heneken toutou kataleipsei anthrōpos ton patera autou kai tēn mētera kai proskollēthēsetai pros tēn gynaika autou kai esontai hoi dyo eis sarka mian.
25 kai ēsan hoi dyo gymnoi, ho te Adam kai hē gynē autou, kai ouk ēischynont
English Translation
1 Thus the heaven and the earth were completed, and all their order.
2 And GOD completed on the sixth day the works which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all the works which he had made.
3 And GOD blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it he rested from all the works which GOD had begun to make.
4 This is the book of the generation of heaven and earth when they were made, in the day that the Lord GOD made the heaven and the earth.
5 And every plant of the field was not yet upon the earth, and every herb of the field had not yet sprung up, for the Lord GOD had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.
6 But a spring rose up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
7 And the Lord GOD formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his face the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.
8 And the Lord GOD planted a garden in Eden, toward the east, and there he placed the man whom he had formed.
9 And the Lord GOD caused to grow from the ground every tree pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 And a river went out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it was divided into four heads.
11 The name of the first is Pison; it is the one that surrounds the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12 And the gold of that land is good; there also are bdellium and the green stone.
13 And the name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that surrounds the whole land of Ethiopia.
14 And the name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one that flows opposite Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 And the Lord GOD took the man whom he had formed and placed him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to guard it.
16 And the Lord GOD commanded the man, saying: “From every tree in the garden you may freely eat,
17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die.”
18 And the Lord GOD said: “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make for him a helper corresponding to him.”
19 And the Lord GOD formed again from the ground every beast of the field and every bird of heaven and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that became its name.
20 And the man gave names to all livestock, to the birds of heaven, and to all beasts of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper corresponding to him.
21 And the Lord GOD caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place.
22 And the Lord GOD built the rib which he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 And the man said: “This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
25 And the two were naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.
1–3 The seventh day: the divine rest
The account of Creation reaches its culmination not in another act of work, but in the rest of GOD. This detail is theologically significant. Creation is not described as a chaotic or endless process, but as an ordered work that reaches completion.
The text states that GOD blessed and sanctified the seventh day. This is not simply a physical pause — GOD does not grow weary — but a spiritual principle: the universe is not made only for production, but also for contemplation.
Within the Abrahamic traditions this principle becomes the sacred day of rest:
in Judaism through the Shabbat
in Christianity through the Lord’s Day
in Islam through Jumuʿah, the day of communal gathering and prayer
Creation therefore is not complete until humanity enters into a spiritual relationship with the Creator.
7 The formation of man
The text states that the Lord GOD formed the man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
Here we encounter one of the most profound images of biblical anthropology.
Humanity is composed of two dimensions:
earthly matter (the dust of the ground)
divine breath (life coming from GOD)
This balance between earth and spirit is one of the central insights shared across the Abrahamic traditions. The human being is neither purely material nor purely spiritual: he is a bridge between the two realms.
Many interpreters have seen in this verse a metaphor for human consciousness. The body originates from the earth, while awareness, moral capacity, and spiritual perception derive from the divine breath.
8–9 The Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is not described merely as a geographical location. In the symbolic language of Scripture it represents a state of harmony between GOD, humanity, and creation.
Two trees are placed at the center of the garden:
the Tree of Life
the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
This does not suggest that knowledge itself is negative, but rather that there exists a limit within the human condition.
Complete knowledge belongs to GOD alone.
Many thinkers interpret this scene as a reflection on humility: humanity is called to grow in knowledge, yet without attempting to replace the Creator.
10–14 The four rivers
The text mentions four rivers that flow from the garden:
Pison
Gihon
Tigris
Euphrates
The last two are clearly historical rivers of Mesopotamia. This detail suggests that the narrative does not intend to place Eden in a purely mythical world but in a symbolic geography connected to the cradle of early civilizations.
Many scholars see in these four rivers a representation of how life, civilization, and knowledge spread from a central source toward the whole world.
The garden therefore also becomes a symbol of the origin of humanity and culture.
15 The mission of humanity
One of the most important verses for understanding the relationship between humanity and creation is this:
GOD placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and to guard it.
Humanity receives two fundamental responsibilities:
to cultivate (to develop the world)
to protect (to preserve it)
This verse constitutes one of the earliest foundations of ecological ethics in Scripture. Humanity is not the absolute owner of the earth but rather the steward of creation.
Rabbinic tradition often emphasizes that GOD entrusts the world to humanity with an implicit warning:
“If you destroy it, there will be no one else to repair it.”
18 It is not good for the man to be alone
For the first time in the creation narrative something is declared “not good.”
It is not matter, nor nature, nor the world:
it is the solitude of the human being.
This verse introduces one of the central principles of the biblical worldview: the human being is created for relationship.
Human life finds its fullness in community, family, and cooperation. This principle lies at the heart of the vision of peace and collaboration among peoples.
21–22 The creation of the woman
The text describes the woman as being formed from the rib of the man.
Many interpreters have emphasized the symbolic meaning of this image: the woman is not created from the head to dominate the man, nor from the feet to be trampled by him, but from the side, close to the heart.
This suggests a relationship of reciprocity and complementarity.
In biblical thought, the human couple becomes the first community, the first place where love, responsibility, and trust take form.
24 One flesh
This verse becomes one of the foundations of the biblical understanding of marriage.
The union between man and woman is not merely a social contract but a deep communion of life.
The expression “one flesh” refers to something broader than the physical dimension: it implies unity of life, shared destiny, and mutual responsibility.
25 Naked and without shame
The chapter concludes with a striking detail:
The two were naked and were not ashamed.
This verse describes a state of spiritual transparency. The man and the woman live without fear, without deception, and without inner conflict.
Many interpreters see here a description of the original condition of humanity, before the moral fracture described in the following chapter.
Nakedness without shame does not indicate the absence of morality, but rather purity of conscience.
Chapter 3
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